Peachtree City police are investigating the theft of computer equipment from Merrill Lynch Mutual Funds on West Park Court, apparently made possible because an "outer door" to the building was left unlocked, according to police chief James Murray.

He says the Merrill Lynch office is one of several inside the building, and the only forcible entry was into the office itself. He cautions both businesses and homeowners not to make it easy for thieves by leaving doors unlocked.

Other, mostly minor, thefts under investigation were in the areas of Amli Apartments, Photocircuits parking lot, Balmoral Village, and Village Park Drive.

Murray also said that Fredick (cq) K. Samuel, 841 Bedford Park, was arrested Dec. 19 and charged with public indecency. Samuel was arrested after police were contacted by a tractor-trailer truck driver who apparently observed the man driving his car for more than 15 minutes in a state of undress, Murray said.